John Gray
Experience
International events company
Advising on exclusive arrangements with the International Rugby Board for Rugby World Cup.
Large public entity
Advising on the appointment as official travel agent for the Rugby World Cup, sale of the company’s travel wholesale business, negotiating and drafting management agreements for caravan and leisure parks on the eastern coast as of Australia, as well as advising on new leases with the Crown for three of the parks.
Hotels
Sale of Fairmont Hotel Leura and Peppers Hotels in Hunter Valley and the purchase and lease of a large four and five star hotels in Canberra, Cairns, Sunshine Coast and Sydney. Drafting and advising on management agreements and all other ancillary agreements incidental to large hotels.
Advising on the acquisition of shares in a large up-market travel wholesaler in Western Australia and the acquisition of a large Australia wide wholesaler of European holidays.
Online department store
Advising on the disposal of a large online department store to Grays Online.
Medical supply company
Advising on the establishment of a joint venture operation with VetShare in the medical supply sector.
International architectural lighting manufacturer
Advising on the buy out of a majority shareholder in Australia and United Kingdom, licensing of intellectual property and drafting international distribution agreements.
Areas of expertise
Background
With 50 years’ experience, John has a reputation for providing flexible, practical and commercial advice to clients across a wide range of complex commercial and property transactions, and is highly regarded for his negotiation skills.
He has had many years’ involvement in the music and entertainment, wholesale travel, and hospitality industries and understands the legal requirements specific to those industries.
John has particular experience in the acquisition and sale of shares, assets and businesses; the acquisition and sale of substantial commercial, retail, industrial and mixed use properties; the acquisition and sale of major hotels and resorts, drafting leases, management agreements for major hotels and resorts; major development projects; drafting and negotiating complex distribution agreements, licensing agreements, employment contracts and general commercial documentation; and advising on corporate structuring, including shareholder, unit holder, partnership and joint venture agreements and trust structures.
In the course of his career he has had reason on numerous occasions to advise clients and to establish on their behalf numerous trusts including unit trusts, family discretionary trusts and bare trusts. Additionally he has attended to his clients’ estate planning needs and is a highly experienced estate lawyer, including preparation of wills, simple to complex, testamentary trusts, probate applications, applications for letters of administration either with will annexed or in respect of an intestate estate, syndic applications and reseals of probate.
Awards and recognition
The Law Society of New South Wales:
- 50 Years as a legal practitioner
